1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a sorting device for use with copy and printing machines and more specifically to such a sorter which includes a novel collection tray and stapler arrangement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sorters which include staplers are required to firstly sort and accumulate sheets of printed matter in carefully aligned stacks before fastening the same at a predetermined location such as the upper left hand corner.
Various arrangements have been proposed to accomplish the above mentioned alignment and fastening. Arrangements for aligning the sheets prior the stapling operation have included trays which are provided with slots and shafts which extend up through the slots and which be moved along the slots so that they engage the edge of the sheets and push the same across the tray into engagement with stoppers provided along one side thereof.
In connection with the stapling devices used in such arrangements, Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. 61-287663 discloses a proposal wherein the trays above and below the one on which the sheets to be fastened are accumulated, are arranged at relatively large spacings with respect to the intermediate one so that a stapler can be moved into a suitable operating position with respect to the accumulated stack of sheets.
However, with the above types of alignment arrangements, drawbacks are encountered in that actuators and associated mechanisms are required to move the shafts back and forth along the slots. These devices of course consume relatively large amounts of space and thus tend to undesirably increase the size, complexity and attendant cost of the sorter.
Further, the above mentioned types of stapling arrangements are such as to require mechanisms which can locate the stapler at the desired position and subsequently actuate the same. In addition to this, relatively large spaces must be provided between adjacent trays so as to facilitate the positioning of the stapler which induces the problem that the overall height of the sorter is increased and cannot be readily reduced.